


More To Love...

by Aximeck



Category: Stardew Valley
Genre: Body Image, Body Positivity, Chubby Harvey, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:34:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13197075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aximeck/pseuds/Aximeck
Summary: The two newlyweds of Stardew Valley are finally adjusting to living together on Farmer Matt’s Dawnbounty Ranch, and are still going strong in their affectionate love. However, as the doctor’s eating habits have slowly been catching up with him as an older gentleman, he is now facing a more self-conscious side of himself...





	1. The Dawn Comes Again

It was a brisk winter morning in Stardew Valley. Snow blanketed the quiet village of Pelican Town as the earth slept a peaceful rest, preparing for a new season of growth and rejuvenation. A couple also slept soundly within a quaint farmhouse outside of town, the chimney smoke rising up into the cloudy grey sky. In old ruffled blankets, a firm arm wrapped around the body of his partner, pulling him close as the two began to stir in morning’s light. A hand reached for glasses resting on the bedside table, placing them on the nose of a moustachioed doctor. His hair was messier than usual, but his husband didn’t much care how his hair looked. Kissing Harvey’s forehead softly, the farmer Matt groggily spoke,

“Mmm...morning, darling. Sleep okay?”

His partner let out a big yawn and nodded, and Matt felt his heart bubble over. How did he have the cutest husband ever? The two moved closer together, Matt hugging Harvey close as he reached down and kissed the doctor’s chest repeatedly, until a sleepy giggle escaped from his darling’s lips.

“Okay, okay...I’m up, honey,” Harvey began, “I gotta get moving though - working at the clinic today and I don’t wanna be late for Gus’s appointment.”

Matt begrudgingly released the other from his hold and began to sit up as the two got dressed. Wandering into the kitchen, the farmer poured a hot cup of coffee and handed it to the doctor, receiving a warm smile in return. Harvey shook his head and sipped from the mug, “I still don’t understand how you can wake up without coffee. During university I lived and breathed the stuff, and you get up before sunrise every day without a sip.”

Matt helped himself to a serving of omelette from the morning prior and washed it down with some orange juice. He shrugged and pointed outside, speaking between mouthfuls, “Guess I’ve always found it easier to get up in the morning...”

Harvey finished the last of his morning brew and winked as he rinsed his cup in the kitchen sink, “You certainly had no trouble getting up today...”

The farmer’s face reddened for a while, taking a long sip of his juice before getting up and moving with his husband to the door. Matt handed the green jacket to Harvey and slipped on his own leather coat. As Harvey turned to leave, Matt gave another kiss on his cheek. Harvey hadn’t shaved for a couple of days, and the results had begun to tickle whenever Matt tried to show affection.

“Have a good day at work, hun.”

“You too, dear.”

Saying farewells, Matt wandered off to check his maple taps in the cool morning air. They’d need another day or so before he could send them off to the market, and so he went for his fishing rod and prepared for a day of angling at the open shore south of town.

As the farmer walked over, he whistled a cheery tune, the kiss of his beloved still warm on his lips and in his heart...

————————————————

The smell of iodine and leather permeated the doctor’s office as he measured the heartbeat of his portly patient with a cold stethoscope. After a few moments and with a glance of his watch, he asked the local bartender to turn around and breathe in and out. A few more basic rituals of a check-up were carried out, and Gus slipped on his shirt with a sigh of relief. Harvey took down his last few notes and spoke up,

“You seem to be about the same as you were last time you were here, Gus. Heart rate is fine - same with your reflexes. Might want to take some medicine for a chest cold and ease up on sampling your own recipes for a while...”

The chef let out a small harrumph and looked back to the doctor, “Come on, Doc! You know I gotta make sure my food’s up to par for the patrons. Half of the whole reason the Stardrop Saloon’s as popular as it is is because of the grub!”

The doctor let out a sigh and flipped through his notes as he replied, “You’ve gained ten pounds since you were last here, Gus. A little further and it could start to have negative effects on your health. As your doctor, it’s my job to tell you what you can do to live healthier.”

Gus rose from the examination table, his look becoming a bit crestfallen before hopping off and pulling his coat on. He didn’t say a word and grumbled as he pulled on his winter shoes and scarf. Harvey became somewhat agitated and responded, “Please don’t make it look like I’m the bad guy here, Gus. I’m just trying to help.”

It was at this point Gus looked back, surveyed Harvey for a moment, as if to check something, then went back to putting on his coat. Confused, the doctor adjusted his glasses and asked, “Is something the matter, Gus?”

The chef patted his soft midsection, looked up at Harvey and grimaced, as if he was considering his words, “I hate to be the bringer of bad news but... it seems like I’m not the only one softening up around here.”

Placing a hand on the door and shaking his head, Gus muttered under his breath, “Might be something to think about, Doc...”

With a click of a door, Harvey was left surprised and a little...embarrassed. A younger woman peeked in to see Harvey, his face slightly flush. “Everything okay, Harv? Didn’t look like Gus left in the best mood...”

The doctor regained his composure and nodded towards his assistant, giving her a small smile, “Yes, Maru, everything’s fine. Just a small disagreement is all...”

The nurse raised an eyebrow for a moment and then shrugged, closing the door and leaving the doctor alone once again.

In the mirror on the wall, Harvey began to look himself over. Certainly he wasn’t the svelte undergraduate he was a couple of years ago, but he was by no means overweight. Still, the words of Gus echoed through his mind as he rubbed at his belly which began to arch outward and press against his white buttoned shirt. The memories of convenience food and microwave dinners ran through his mind before he blushed sheepishly at the thought.

“Perhaps I should consider a diet,” he pondered as he turned back to his work that he had to do for the day.

 


	2. Gone Fishing...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the slight disagreement that had begun to turn cogs within the mind of Harvey, Gus made his way back to the Stardrop Saloon in time for Matt to come back from his morning fishing. The two discuss the now not-so-confidential check-up, and the farmer goes over in hopes of cheering up his lover.

“Alright! Another tuna for the market!” cheered Matt as he reeled in his latest catch. Both the beach resident Elliot and the seasoned mariner Willy had gotten used to the joyful outbursts during the late mornings and afternoons. The man seemed to have a knack for the angling art, and with the population density of fish and other wildlife being so high in Stardew Valley, it seemed to keep the environment in check. After a couple more casts of his line, with a few smaller catches in tow, Matt decided to call it a day and made his way over to the Stardrop Saloon. He had a habit of picking up a cup of coffee and some snacks for Harvey, since he seemed to forget to eat lunch while at the clinic. Wandering over the stone bridge and past the graveyard, Matt finally reached the bar with a gust of cold wind blowing behind him.

Closing the door and pulling down his scarf, the farmer rubbed his hands and breathed into them before greeting Gus and the assistant bartender Emily. Emily gave a bright smile, her blue pixie cut standing out amidst the cold winter greys. Gus nodded with a half-smile, and called out to Matt, “The usual cup a joe and fritters, then?”

The farmer smiled and gave a small laugh, knowing better than to guess how well Gus knew his patrons. He reached into his pockets and placed some coins on the counter, enough for the order and a small tip. The portlier gentleman, still somewhat disappointed from his check-up, made an effort to show good courtesy and spoke to Matt as he prepared the dainties,

“Shoulda seen how red your cheeks were when ya walked in! Colder than a bunch of winter we’ve had before, I’ll tell ya...”

The bundled up man nodded and sniffed at the woodsmoke in the old tavern. It was always refreshing to come into this place. There was something almost magical about it. It certainly became a lot more lively at night, with the bustle of busy bodies ready to ease their soreness with some warm spirits and warmer company.

After a couple of minutes, Matt could notice something was eating at Gus, and decided to ask, “Something on your mind, bud?”

The bartender let out a sigh as he slipped the apple fritters into the speed oven and dialled the time, “ Just a little spat between me and your good friend the doctor this morning. Shouldn’t’ve been so gruff with ‘im, really. He was only trying to help.”

Matt grimaced at the awkward revelation and nodded slowly, “Yeah, sometimes people don’t like Harvey’s advice. I can remember when old man George just about talked off his ear when he recommended he go outside and enjoy some wheelchair strolls...”

The bartender chuckled as he shook his head, “Yeah, I probably wasn’t as bad as Ol’ George for how I treated him, but still...”

His face, filled with contemplation, twisted the older chef’s moustache to one side as a look of an idea brightened and dawned with a little smirk.

“Tell ya what? How about you take some extra fritters along with the coffee and say it’s from ol’ Gus as an apology?”

Matt’s eyes lit up with a smile as he took the piping hot pastries from the apologetic chef and nodded, “Will do. I appreciate the thought, Gus. I’m sure Harvey will, too.”

The bartender nodded and waved the younger farmer off, “Ah, go see your hubby, ya big softie.”

—————————————————

With a laugh and a quick goodbye, Matt left and rushed over to the clinic down the block with the warm goodies, greeting Maru at the front desk. The nurse smiled and shook her head, pointing to the doctor’s office as she went back to her work. With a small knock and a peer through the door, the farmer peeked in on his husband with a hopeful grin, “Hey, honey! Got you something to munch on while you work.”

Harvey turned around with a smile, his hand pulling on his shirt so as to not reveal his squished-up belly as he sat. Rising up to take the gift, he gave Matt a kiss on the cheek and set the goodies down on his desk. “Thank you, Matt. I’ll be sure to enjoy them later.”

Matt looked confused and reached for his love’s shoulder, “Something the matter, darling? You usually gobble the fritters right up before I even walk out the door...”

“I’m fine, it’s just...”

“‘Just’...?”

“You probably heard about the kerfuffle with Gus and I’m just thinking about how I could’ve acted better.”

Harvey looked down at the floor with a crestfallen look, but was brought back up with a thumb gently on his chin and a hand rubbing his shoulder, “Aw, Harv, you know that Gus feels bad about that too, right? He even sent me with some extra fritters as an apology.”

“He did?”

“Yeah! And I’m sure whatever you two were talking about, he admits that you were trying to suggest what was best for him. So don’t worry too much about him being upset, okay?”

The doctor let out a sigh, his hand clenching his shirt as it still clung slightly to his belly. He gave a nod of understanding and moved in to kiss Matt. The two lingered for a little longer, before Matt finally pulled away with a grin,

“Now put away the worry and smile, cuz I got a whole plan for your birthday tomorrow!”

A look of realization flashed across Harvey’s face as he remembered. How did he forget his own birthday? He let out a smaller sigh and shook his head, “You know that we don’t have to do anything fancy, right? The fact that you remembered puts you a step ahead of me.”

“Which is why I want to make you feel special! I got us some of those Air-Adventure movies you like so we can just stay home and watch them tomorrow all day!”

Harvey’s face flushed behind his glasses, his eyes watering up as he laughed, “How did I end up with someone so brave and kind as you?”

Matt placed a hand on Harvey’s back and pulled him closer, whispering in a low, gentle tone, “Now that’s what I ask myself about you every day, darling.”

The two shared another kiss before Maru knocked on the door, tapping at her clipboard, “ Jodi’s here with Sam? Seems like he twisted his ankle trying to do a kick flip.”

Pulling back from Matt with a start and composing himself quickly, Matt nodded in understanding and made his way for the door, nodding at a furious Jodi and a Sam who was desperately trying to hold back tears. Harvey shook his head and readjusted his glasses, ushering Sam inside to have a better look at the injury.

Even though the doctor carried out his work in his usual professional manner, he couldn’t help but smile as he thought of Matt and the treats on his desk, which he helped himself to after seeing to Sam’s bandages and Jodi’s avid concerns. They were sweet and crisp, with the tartness of apples throughout the tender center. It wasn’t long before Harvey realized he finished the entire plate along with the coffee. With a sigh, he rubbed his fuller, more tender stomach and remarked,

“Well, maybe I’ll start the diet tomorrow...”

————————————————

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot shorter this one! XD
> 
> Gonna see if I can bring out a better flow for the next one? If there is one...
> 
> I appreciate constructive criticism a great deal, and may even edit some parts if I find very considerable points in the critique


	3. Birthday Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey’s lazy birthday at home is haunted by Gus’s observations, and it has begun to weigh on the doctor’s mind and appetite. Matt begins to notice and tries to keep the communication between them open...

The weather forecast called for a few inches of snow the following day and all throughout, making it a perfect birthday for Harvey to stay home and enjoy himself. With an added word from the doctor, Matt convinced Maru to work at the clinic alone today with double pay, compensated with part of the farmer’s earnings. Fishing had been really good this winter, and the seeming abundance of crabs in his traps made it all the more available to splurge a little on his husband.

The day started with a groggy Harvey waking up to a hearty breakfast in bed; consisting of hashbrowns, fried fish, green beans and a fresh cup of coffee. Matt made sure that the hashbrowns were nice and crispy with a bit of give, and spiced the fish in the pan with some garlic and wild horseradish. The food looked incredible, and the smell was intoxicating. In his early morning drowsiness, he thought little of his notion to diet and enjoyed the culinary perfection of his husband’s cooking.

The warmth of the meal radiated throughout his body, and warmth from outside made its way in as Matt drew closer and held Harvey gently. With a kiss and a shuffling of blankets, the two moved to the love seat where Matt had already prepared the movie marathon. While he didn’t know much about the series itself, he knew how much Harvey loved the documentation of aircraft in it, and that was enough. Besides, he’d heard the movies’ soundtracks were pretty good, and the farmer was never one to turn down a good tune to listen to while he worked.

The first movie went by with a buzz - a couple of nuzzles here, a little knowledgeable commentary there, and the two were about as happy as could be. There were small outbursts of laughter as Matt attempted to impersonate some of the characters’ more cheesy lines, which left Harvey giggling and rewinding the film to watch the scenes over again. There were no thoughts of work, no tense arguments about health, and no awkward reminders of what Harvey was reluctant to think about. It was calm and happy. It was in what Matt called the “intermission” that gave Harvey a little bit of tension in his stomach.

Before him was a three-tier chocolate cake with fudge icing and candied cherries all around the layers. As his mouth watered, the thoughts of a diet echoed in the back of Harvey’s mind, and he spoke up, “I’m not actually that hungry right now. Maybe we could save it until after the next movie?”

The farmer’s smile faltered a little before nodding and moving to put the confection back in the fridge, a little disappointed. He’d gotten a lot of help with the cake, but he didn’t want to force the doctor either.

The second movie was a lot quieter than the first, the occasional joke by Matt getting less of a laugh and more of an acknowledging smile as time went on. When he looked at Harvey, he could see him glancing over to the fridge and hear a small rumble in his husband’s stomach. When he offered to get the cake out, the doctor politely declined and said he would have some water and carrots later. When the credits finally rolled and a silhouette of a kissing couple in front of an old fighter jet is all that could be seen, Matt turned off the TV and looked to Harvey, carefully picking his next words.

“Honey, did I do something...? Because if I did something today that upset you and I didn’t know-”

Harvey answered back with a bit of surprise, “What? What made you think you did anything?”

“I dunno. It’s just...after I pulled out the cake you seemed a bit down...was it the chocolate? I wasn’t sure if you liked chocolate or strawberry and so I just went with-“

“No! No it doesn’t have anything to do with the chocolate. Well, not really...”

Harvey took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, his brow furrowing in frustration. Concerned, Matt took a seat with him and rubbed his back assuringly. As Harvey breathed and raised his head toward him, Matt realized he hadn’t seen him truly sad before, and the thought alone made him anxious to see what he could do. “So...if it isn’t the chocolate or the movies or the pickles, what is it?”

Harvey was confused for a moment as he repeated, “‘Pickles’?”

Realizing what he said, Matt looked away and back at him with a half-smile, “Don’t worry about it right now. Just...don’t open your desk drawer...”

A weak laugh escaped Harvey’s lips before the weighty feeling came down upon him again, causing him to heave a sigh and fiddle with his belly as it scrunched up on the couch. “You didn’t hear the full story about Gus’s check-up, but he said some things pertaining to...well...this...”

He jiggled his little paunch and grew more sorrowful in his eyes. There were feelings of embarrassment, of shame, of guilt and regret that he couldn’t shake, no matter how inconsequential the little encounter had seemed. All the while, Matt sat near and listened, nodding his head as he slowly began to understand.

“It’s not like I’m a completely unhealthy individual,” he continued, “only that when Gus pointed out how my eating habits were affecting me, I thought about how I told others to eat healthy and then sustained myself off of JojaMart meals and the Saloon...I had done that for such a long time, I felt like such a hypocrite. It was as if I had failed a big part of being a doctor for this town by being a healthy example...”

The words began to be caught up in his throat as his back shook, his throat becoming dry and sore. The mere sight of his love coming to tears was enough to make Matt’s heart ache in sympathy. Granted, Matt wasn’t a skinny figure by any stretch. His muscular arms paired off with a ever-so-slightly rounded midsection and strong thighs left him leaving a sort of “stocky lumberjack” impression on people. Although, he had come to town looking this way, and it only became more pronounced as he worked on the farm and enjoyed the fruits of his labor, particularly the fatty fish and rich bread. He couldn’t imagine what Harvey was going through right now - to go through such a change in his life as the two of them grew older. Even so, he felt as if he had to do something to help - anything to remind him of who he is...

A thought flashed across Matt’s face as he moved closer to Harvey, motioning as if to ask if he could hold him. His husband didn’t refuse, and allowed him to move around and sit behind him as he wrapped his arms around the front of Harvey’s body. He could feel the way the doctor’s body had softened around his hips, belly and back, and began to pepper the back of his neck with butterfly kisses. As he moved up and down, going down to the other’s spine, he spoke softly, “While you may not have been healthy before, that doesn’t mean you are unhealthy now, darling.”

A rough hand, calloused from months of hard labour, gently rubbed circles on Harvey’s stomach. He hadn’t shaved in a while on his chest either, and a soft and bristly layer of hair brushed against his hand as he continued the motions, now kissing his husband’s cheek.

“Just because you have a bit of a belly now doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy...you’re eating more regularly, right? That’s supposed to be a good thing. It means you can take better care of yourself while you take care of others...remember when you went to aerobics classes to help your cardio? Not to mention, all of the times you’ve been helping me on the farm...”

As Matt went through the same slow, tender movements, Harvey felt...conflicted. There was still a sense of self-loathing and doubt but also a growing amount of...enjoyment? His eyes were watery as his face grew flush. He remembered playing with his husband’s belly while they were still dating, remaining rather quiet about their stolen kisses behind oak trees. But to receive a similar sort of care and affection was...stimulating. Had Matt felt like this when Harvey held him close? The thoughts swimming in his mind overwhelmed him.

The doctor began to cry some more, unsure of what to make of his circumstances. Matt hugged him tightly and moved to massage his back, kneading out the knots of tension he could feel as best he could. With each rub and push, he wished for Harvey to know how loved he was, how beautiful he was, how much he had grown and how he could be such a great man to all of Stardew Valley. As time went on, the stiffness he felt in Harvey was replaced with a lax posture, completely free to let out all of the tension that had built up so quickly.

Eventually, Harvey’s shoulders had relaxed, his breathing becoming slower and deeper with time. His eyes were puffy and wet from the tears, but he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Turning around to face Matt, he sidled up with his admittedly thicker thighs onto the man’s lap, and pulled him in for a long, thankful kiss. As they pulled away, the farmer smiled and said, “See? Can’t tell you how lucky I am to have someone as strong and brave as you, darling. And if you still wanna go on a diet, I’ll make you all the best meals you could ask for...”

Harvey smiled and laughed weakly as he nestled into the crook of his love’s shoulder, giving it a small kiss and hugging him close for a while. The discomfort and confusion were still there, and he wasn’t sure what he’d do now - no...for now he’d treat himself with the same respect as his patients and just eat regularly, regardless of how it might affect his waistline.

Breathing in and out, Harvey pulled back and beamed at Matt, the evening sun starting to shine on his face through the living room window. He got up with a little huff and took hold of his partner’s hand and speaking softly, “I love you, honey...”

For a moment, the doctor’s look changed as his demeanour grew flusher, more suggestive, “A-and since you got up so early the other day, I think I’ll help you get up tonight...”

It took a moment before a flash of realization flew across the farmer’s face, his face growing equally red as he smiled and nodded. The two got up and went to the bedroom, where the covers were nice and warm, if a bit...ruffled up later. And after the two had kissed and saw the end of the day, they snuck a slice or two of cake from the fridge before falling asleep in sugar-induced bliss...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a little more suggestive at the end, but I’m glad at getting a bit more length in this chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> As this ficlet goes on, I don’t know how much of it I’m going to write. Guess we’ll see!!! o_o”


End file.
